Assigjstqk



H. F. BECHMAN.

CYLINDER AND PLATE CLAMPING DEVICE FOR ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 26,19I6.

JT L

latcnted Sept. 30, 1919.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOFIRAIII cm, WASHINGTON. n. c,

"ran snares rnrnnr FFTQE.

HENRY F. BECHMAN, 01* BATTLE CREEK, MIGHIGAN, ASSIGNOR IRINTING- PRESS COMPANY, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, A CQEEOBATTDN OF MICHIGAN.

CYLINDER Am PLATE-CLAMPING nnvron FOR ROTARY PRIN'rING-rnnssns.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 30,1919.

Application filed April 26, 1916. Serial No. 93,695.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, HENRY F. BEOHMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Battle Creek, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Cylinders and Plate-Clamping Devices for Rotary Printing-Presses; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention is a novel improvement in printing machinery and has particular reference to the cylinders of rotary presses;

" and its object is to practically obviate the spring of such cylinders, which has heretofore been a source of great trouble iii-high speed rotary presses, and also to locate the devices for operating the plate adjusting clamps and the blanket adjusting devices, on the respective cylinders, exterior to the cylinder bearings and gears, so that they will be readily accessible from the outside of the side or end frames or bearings in which the cylinders are journaled, instead of said devices having to be located and operated intermediate the ends of the cylinthereof. The invention also includes novel means for clamping the plates on the plate cylinder.

In the present invention I dispense with any cylinder trunnions or shafts, and journal the ends of the cylinders directly in the bearings, and this enablesme to arrange the adjusting devices for the blankets and plate clamps at the ends of-the cylinders and outside of the bearings or frame.

The novel features of the invention will be hereinafter more fully explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings ,which illustrate plate and blanketcylindersv and clamps embodylng the invention, and so .that others skilled :in the art will be able to readily adapt and use the same.

The essential features and novel combinations of. parts for which protection is desired are set forth in the claims following said description.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a detail side elevation of part of a press, showing a printing couple c0mprising a plate andimpression cylinder journaled in bearings therein.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of my novel plate cylinder showing the plate-clamp adjusting means; the cylinder driving gear being partly broken away. I

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail vertical sec.-v tion on line 33, Fig. 2, of part of suc plate cylinder.

Fig.4 is a detail sectional view on line 66 Fig. 3 showing the novel platesclamp.

The plate cylinder 1 and impression cylinder 5 may be in general similar to the cylin ders now in use, with the important exception that the usual supporting shaft or supporting trunnions are dispensed with, and instead each cylinder is made long enough to practically extend through the side frames of the press. This enables thepress to be narrowed or shortened because of the ab-.

sence of end trunnions .or shafts on the cylinders; and also enables the devices by which the plateclamps or the blanket adare preferably slightly reduced.

Each end of the platecy-linder 1 is-slightly reduced as indicated at 1- to form the joural p rt th r f; a d e chjou al -1 is journaled in a box ,2, which may be adjustably mounted in the frame 3 of the machine.

The boxes 2 and 2 may be of anysuitable construction and provided with any suitable means for adjusting the cylinders toward or from each other as usual in printing presses; the journal boxes being enlarged to properly accommodate the journal ends of ,the cylinders journaled therein.

The cylinder 1 may be provided with the usual slotsl for the accommodation of plate clamps 3 of any suitable kind adapted to engage plates P on the cylinder; these clamps as shown are adjustable bymeans of screw-rods 3 which may be -j ournaled in said slots as shown inthe upper part of Figs. 2 and 3. The outer .ends of screw-rods 3 may ,be journaled in openings in the Web portion 4 ofthe cylinder gear 4, which is preferably fitted onto the outer end of cyl-- usual. I prefer to use the plate clamping devices shown in the lower parts of Figs. 2,

' and 4.

It will be seen that the plate-clamps can be adjusted from the outer side of the bearing or frame and outer end of the cylinder; which is very convenient to the pressman;

and enables the press to be correspondingly shortenedin length or narrowed'in width as compared with the. heretofore known styles of cylinders in which the adjusting devices; had to 'belarranged adjacent the inner ends'of'the cylinder trunnions, and to the inside of the bearing and frame.

The cylinders may be made solid, but are preferably made hollow and ribbed, as inthe cylinder. ;ment of the brackets 9 the pressure will be transmitted equally to all of the clamps condicated in dotted lines,in the usual manner to'enhance their stiffness while reducing theirweight;

Theplate cylinder. is provided with a plurality of slots l for the engagement of plate clamps 3*, usually three clamps are provided-for, each plate; and it is desirable to operate these clamps simultaneously so as to engage or release a plate quickly, and

save the time and trouble required to inclependently operate a'pluralityof' clamps to lockor release a plate.

As shown in the lower part of Figs. 2 and 3 and in A} three of the clamps 3* may berigidly connected withor formed on an arc-shaped bar 9 which is provided intermediate each 'adjacent bar or clamp with an inwardly projecting bracket 9 which extends through a slot 1 in the plate in the ends of the cylinder and carries on its inner end a nut or threaded portion 9 which is engagedby a threaded rod 10. Each rod 10 has its inner end journaled in the cylinder and its'outer end is supported in the web 4?) of thegear 4-. Keyed or fixed on each rod 10 is a pinion 10 which meshes with a pinion 11 on a stub shaft 11 journaled in simultaneously imparted by pinion 11 to gears 10*, and the rods 10 simultaneously turnedthereby,so as to move the bar 9 and clamps attached thereto longitudinally of Byreason of the arrangenected with bar 9; and said clamps can all ,be simultaneously quickly and uniformly ing plate clamps, an arc-shaped bar con' nected with a plurality of'said clamps and provided with inwardly projectingbrackets in the wall of the cylinder, and' neans-engaging said brackets to longitudinally move the bar. f v j i 2. In combination, a plate cylinder hav: ing plate clamps, an arc-shaped bar; con' nected with a plurality ofsaid clamps and provided with a plurality. of inwardly p'ro jecting brackets extending through slots in the wall of the cylinder, and means engaging said brackets to longitudinally move the bar.

3. In combination, a plate cylinder,a bar provided with inwardly projecting brackets,

threaded shafts engaging said brackets, pinions on said threaded shafts, means for simultaneouslyoperating the threaded shaft pinion and plate clamps operated by said bar. j

4. In combination, a plate cylinder, a bar provided with a plurality ofjinwardly' projecting brackets, threaded shafts'engaging 1 said brackets, pinions on said threaded shafts, an intermediate pinion for simultaneously operating the threaded shaftpinions and plate clamps operated by said bar.

5. In combination, a plate cylinder hav-. Q

ing plate clamps, anarc-shaped bar'connected with a plurality of said clamps and provided with inwardly projecting brackets extending through slots inthe wall of the cylinderand means forsimultaneously moving said brackets, substantiallyasdescribed.

6. In combination, a plate cylinder having plate clamps, an arc-shaped bar connected with a plurality-of said clamps and provided with inwardly projecting brackets extending through slots in the wall of the cylinder, parallel threaded shafts engaging said brackets, p'inions on said shafts, an in termediate shaft, and apimon thereon engaging the pmlons on the threaded shafts for simultaneously operating the latter, substantially as described.

7. In combination with a press frame and bear ngs; of a trurmlonless cylinder of' substantially uniform diameter throughout, having its ends journaled in and extending through said bearings; plate clamps, and clamp ad ustlng devices each eccentrically disposed and extending through the end of the cylinder and accessible at the outer side. I

of the bearing.

8. In a printing press having bearings; a trunnionless plate cylinder having a body and end journals of substantially uniform diameter; the journals of said cylinder extending through said bearings; plate clamps on said cylinder; and plate clamp adjusting devices lying Within and eccentrically of the axis of the cylinder and extending through a journal of the cylinder and the adjacent bearing and accessible from the outer side of such bearing.

9. In combination, a trunnionless plate cylinder having a body and end journals all. of substantially uniform diameter; bearings in which the journals of said cylinder are mounted, the journals of the cylinder extending through said bearings; a driving gear on one end of one of the cylinder ournals adjacent the bearing; plate clamps on the cylinder; and plate clamp adjusting devices lying Within and eccentrically of the axis of the cylinder and extending through one journal of the cylinder, the adjacent bearing and said gear, and accessible from the outer side of the press.

10. A trunnionless cylinder for printing presses having end journals of substantially the same diameter as its body, plate clamps slidably mounted on said cylinder, and means for adjusting said plate clamps disposed Within and eccentrically of the axis of the cylinder and extending through the journals thereof and accessible at the outer ends thereof.

11. In a printing press, the combination of a frame, and bearings thereon; With a trunnionless cylinder having a body and end journals all of substantially uniform diameter, and journaled in said bearings at the outer side of the frame, plate clamps slidably mounted on said cylinder, and means for adjusting said plate clamps disposed Within and eccentrically of the axis of the cylinder and extending through the journals thereof and accessible at the outer ends thereof.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I afli'x my signature.

HENRY F. BECHMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. 

